Embodiments of the present invention are related to a device for determining and reporting the position of a person or object.
Position reporting devices are frequently used to locate and report the position of a person or object. A typical position reporting device combines a navigation system such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) module with a mobile communications system such as a cellular modem to determine the position or geographic location of a person or asset being tracked and report their position to a tracking facility. Position reporting devices are used in a variety of systems in which timely position information is required such as fleet tracking and asset recovery systems.
Fleet tracking systems allow a user to monitor the position of a ship or vehicle carrying a position reporting device. For example, the course of a vehicle being tracked can be inferred using successive position fixes sent by the position reporting device. In a similar manner it can be inferred that the vehicle is not moving when successive position fixes report the same position. Fleet tracking systems are commonly used by delivery services for routing and dispatching of vehicles. Asset recovery systems report the position of stolen or missing property (e.g., a stolen car) to a service provider or to the police in order to facilitate recovering the property.
However, many potential users find the cost of position reporting devices prohibitive compared to the value of the asset being tracked. Many position reporting devices have a manufacturing cost in the range of $200-$300 and a market price in the range of $500-$600. Thus, the use of position reporting devices has typically been limited to high value items such as cars or other vehicles.
Another drawback associated with position reporting devices is the amount of power they consume. While battery powered position reporting devices do exist, the amount of power they consume when turned on necessitates frequent battery changes in order to continue operating. This makes using position reporting devices inconvenient to some users in that they require an excessive amount of maintenance to continue operating.
Accordingly, a need exists for a low-cost portable position reporting device which is small enough to be easily concealed upon an asset which is being tracked. While meeting the above need, it is desirable to provide a position reporting device which requires minimal installation and maintenance on the part of a user. More specifically, a need exists for a position reporting device which does not require specialized knowledge or skills on the part of the user to install the position reporting device. Furthermore, a need exists for a position reporting device which does not require the alteration of an electrical system (e.g., a vehicle""s wiring system) during installation. While meeting the above needs, a further need exists for a position reporting device with a self contained power source to enable the tracking of assets which can not supply power to the position reporting device. Furthermore, a need exists for a method for reducing the power consumption of the above stated device to extend the usable life of the power source and thus minimize the maintenance needs of the device.
The present invention is a portable motion-activated position reporting device. In one embodiment, a controller is coupled with a power source, a position determining component, a wireless communications component, and an initiating component. In one embodiment, the initiating component detects motion of the position reporting device and generates a signal to the controller indicating the motion. The controller, in response to the signal, activates the position reporting device.